Internal-combustion engine



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UNITED (a STATES PATENT. oFFlC a wiLLnm WILLS, on Panamanian, PENNSYLVANIA, .Assmnon mm: '10

.rosnrn e. EVANS, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

' mrnrmu-comnus'rron ENGINE.

Application: filed September a, 1927. Serial n. 217,048.

the cylinders are arranged in a concentric.

circle or series and adapted to act upon a common power or drive shaft so that forces produced by aseries of successive explosions I 10 are caused to act upon a common power transmitting member to produce a maximum of power for a minimumsized motor.

Other objects of the invention areto provide 'a motor of the above type which is .com-

pact; which relieves the chassis of vertical thrusts and vibrations; to provide a novel arrangement of intake and exhaust manifolds for the various cylinders; to improve the valve construction and o'peratin means therefor; to provide an improved In ricating system for the various working parts, and to generally improve and increase the efliciency of motors of the type to which the invention relates.

The construction by which the above ob- 1 jects are accomplished comprises a plurality of cylinders having pistons working therein,

said cylinders being annularly arranged with in a block having a central bore, the cylinders being provided with the usual intake and exhaust valve construction connecting the cylindersrespectively, with the intake and exhaust manifolds, the former being arranged withinthe bore and the latter circumferentially'oftbe block. A

The pistons are connected with a wabbler which is mounted by a ball and socket universal' joint so that the wabbler may assume various positions under the influence of the istons. The wabbler is flexibly connected y suitable means to the fly-wheel of a driving shaft.

Suitable mechanism is also provided for opening and closing the intake and exhaust valves of the various cylinders in timed rela- 1 tion' to each other.

In the drawings 2-- J Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved motor,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross sec tion taken on the'line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlar ed fragmentary sectional view correspon ing to Figurel2 but 56 showing only one cylinder,

Figure 5 is a' vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is'an enlarged fragmentarydetail sectional elevation ofa power transmit- 0o ting plate and its mounting, together with a piston to illustrate the connection of the istons with the plate and the manner of In ricating the associated parts,

Figure 7 is a sectional viewtaken on the 06 line 7-.7 of Figure fi, 4

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the power transmitting plate and adjacent parts,

Figure '9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is an edge view of a universal cross pin employed in the mounting of the power transmitting plate,

. Figure 11 is a face view of Figure 10, and 4 Figure 12 is a sectional View in the plane of the axes-of the pins.

Referring to the drawings in detail, nfy im-, proved engine or motor comprises a cyhnder block 10 having a series of concentrically ar-' ranged cylinders 11 spaced equidistantly 80 from each other and-the common'center, the

combustion chambers of which are provided with. water jackets 12. An odd number of cylinders is employed, with .pistons 13-work-, ing therein, so that each alternate piston will 88 be, successively operated in connection with' the timing and ignition system emplo ed in a four-cycle motor. The rear ends of t e cylinders are open and the cylinder block isprovided with a central axial bore 14 and inner and outer circumscribing flan 15 and 16 positioned at right angles to t e axis.

A cylinder head 17 is bolted to the body portions-of each cylinder; as indicated at 1'8, and forms and walls 19 of the combustion chamber and waterjackets 20 communicat ing with the water jacketsnl2 through the openings 21 so that a circulation of water is maintained over and walls 19 as well as around the lateral-walls of the cylinders. I. Theinner portion of the cylinder head 17 is provided with an intake manifold 22, which inner ends spaced apart as shown. The lower communicates, through an intake pipe 23 leading radially through the inner wall, with a fuel supply device or carburetor 24 in the central bore 14 in the rear of the water ackets 12 and receives its fuel supply through a pipe 25in the customary way;

Leading from the manifold 22 are intake passages 26, having intake ports provided with inclined seats 27 facing downwardly and rearwar y. (lo-acting with these seats are inwardly opening intake valves 28 having valve stems 29 operating in inclined guides 30 from which theistems project to receive expansible springs 31 which normally hold the valves seated and the ports from the intake manifold to the cylinders closed.

The exhaust manifold is indicated at 32 and communicates with the cylinders through head-passages 33 having ports provided with seats corresponding to the seats 27 and valves 3 correspondingto valves 28, except that valves 28 control the supply ofcombustible mixture to the cylinders while valves 34 control the exhaust of spent. gases and products of combustion. Should the stems of the valves 28 or 34break or be otherwise disconnected and the heads drop into the cylinders 11, the heads will be supported clear of the pistons, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawlngs, thus preventing injury or jamming of the parts, or scoring of the cylinders. All of the valves are alike in structure and their stems are engaged by arms 35 pivoted on brackets fixed to cylinder head 17 as indicated at 36. I

The arms 35 are provided with threaded sleeves 37 in which the valve rods 38 are adjustable, connected by ball and socket oints 39 to allow for angular movementof the arms. The rods 38 extend through rod guides 40 in the bottom of a housing 41 supported above and slightly in front of the cylinder head 17 as by means of brackets 42. Engaglng the upper ends of these valve rods are valve lifters 43 operating in blocks 44 mounted across the housing, as indicated at 45, and having their ends of these valve lifters are provided with oil shed skirts 46 so that oil will drain into the bottom of housing 41 and down oil grooves 47 into drain pipes 48 and thence through pipe 49to an oil pump 50 mounted in a case 51 attached to flanges 15 and 16.

J ournaled across the housing above the blocks 44 in bearings 52 and 53, is a cam shaft 54: having cams 55 engaging the upper ends of valve llfters 43 in such relation as to time the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves of the cylinders, so that each alternate pistonwill be successively operated during the running of the motor. The cam shaft 54 is driven by aworm 56 from a horizontal shaft 57 rotatably supported above the motor casing the space between the blocks 44 accom I ting the intermeshing worm said valve rods comprising sect-ionsand worm gear as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. The shaft 57 is journaled in a sleeve 58 supported above the motor casing by brackets 42 and 59 and 60 and carries the usual cooling fan 61 at its front end. The housing 41 is provided with a removable cover 62 by which access may be had to the internal mechanism.

Internal webs-64 are formed in, each piston 13 and provided with a socket 65 in which is positioned a cup bearing 66 for receiving the ball 67 formed on the end of a connecting rod 63. The sockets are internally threaded to receive sleeve nuts 68 in which the con? necting rods are held from displacement but have slight play. The other ends of connect ing rods 63 are provided with ball terminals 69 engaged in sockets 70 carried by a power transmission plate or wabbler 71. This w'ab bler is provided .with internally threaded sleeve portions receiving plugs 7 2 having concaved ehds conforming to the ball terminals 69 which are retained in position for angular movements by sleeve nuts 73, thus providing separable ball and socket joints in the form ofplugs which in conjunction with the ball and socket joints of the pistons, permit adjustment ofthe strokes of the pistons so that they will be uniform, convenient of assemblage, of disassemblage and will provide for compensation for wear of the parts.

The wabbler 71 is mounted centrally to central portion of plate 74, a rearwardly extending bearing bracket 75 is bolted. This bracket is provided with upper and lower arms 76 forming a. forked extremity in which the ends of a verticalpin 77 have pivotal hearing. The vertical pin 77 is formed integral with a horizontal pin 78, thus forming a. cross-pin 79, the ends of the pin 78 being ivoted in bearings 80 attached to the front of wabbler 71 in horizontal alignment upon opposite sides of a hollow boss 81. which receives the cross-pin and arms of the bracket. The back of the wabbler at the boss 81 is provided with, a clamp 82 in which an arm 83, extending axiallv of the plate, is fixed and extends rearwardly and is pivotally connected, as indicated at 84, with a fly wheel 85 secured to a shaft 86, which has bearings in case 51. Shaft 86 is operatively connected, through the medium of a clutch 87 operated by a controlling member 88 and transmission gearing 89 operated by lever 90, to drive the vehicle. The pump 50 is geared to shaft 86 as indicated at 91 while shaft 57 may be driven atthe required speed in any desired manner as through the medium of an endless drive member 92 trained over pulleys or sprocket wheels 93 and 94 on the shafts 57 and 86. 1

The oil pump supplies lubrication'to the camshaft and valve lifters in the housing 41 through pipes95 having ports or openings 96 above each cam. One end of each pipe 95 is disposed adjacent to and above a bearing 53 for lubricating it and the worm and worm gear, The other end of'each pipe 95 is con-, nected into a bearing 52 where it intermittently communicates with a transverse passage 97 in shaft 54 which connects with an axial passage 98 communicating with an oil pipe 99 leading from oil pump 50 and disposed atthe sides of housing 41.

An oil/supply ipe or tube 100 leads upwardly along and through a passage 101 in one arm of bracket 75 then through a peripheral groove and diametrical passage 102 in one end of pin 78 to axial passages 103 and 104 in pins 77 and 78, to oil the. bearings for the pins. The oil then passes out through tubes 105, branching from the ends of' pin 78, to the ball and socket 'oints 70, where rods 63 connect to wabbler 1, through dia metrical passa es 106 in the ball termlnals. The oil thenows through axial ducts or passages 107, in the connecting rods through.

diametrical passages 108 to the ball and socket connections of the rods with the pistons .13,

from which the oil under pressure escapes and drops into the case 51. v

In the operation of the engine, the intake means the scope of the invention hereinbefore set forth and hereinafter claimed.

I claim: 1

1. An internal combustion engine including a plurality of horizontal cylinders dispose equidistant from a common center, valves in the c linders, valve operatin mechanism dispo above the cylinders and operatively con drive shaft having a flywheel thereon, and a wabbleroperatively connected 'to the pistons and to the flywheel.

lthereof, a shaft rotatably mounted above the cylinder block for actuating the valve operating mechanism, and means mechanically connecting said shaft with the drive shaft. 7

3. In an internal combustion engine of the character described having a stationary cylinder block 'containing a central bore and a plurality of cylinders equally spaced-around valves 28 will be opened by depres'sion of the bore; a cylinder head having an exhaust manifold concentric with and outwardly of stems 29by engagement of cams with valve lifters 43 and consequent depression of valve rods 38. The gaseous mixture from the car- 'buretor 24 will then be supplied to the cylinders through the intake pipe 23 and manifold 22 in properly time relation. As the pistons 13 move forwardly, the gas will be compressed in the respective cylinders ll'and exploded bysuitable ignition operating har moniously with the timing mechanism. Each alternate piston will be successively forced outward on the workingstroke, thus causing wabbler 71, to oscillate on its universal mounting at the center. The spent gasestwill then be exhausted, 'by the opening of the exhaust valves 34 valve operating mechanism,

and escape through the exhaust manifold 32. The valve operating mechanism isdriven from shaft 57 which also rotates fan 61. The oscillation of wabbler 71, as the pistons are reciprocated, imparts a circular motion to the axial arm 83 which has rotatable connection with fly wheel 85, thus driving the fly wheel and-shaft 86 through which power is transmitted. The oil, pump 50 and shaft 57 are driven from shaft 86 and during the operation of the motor, a-thorough circulationof lubricating oil is provided for.

Details of'the mechanism hereinbefore described may be'changed and modified within the' cylinders, anintake manifold concentric with and inwardly of the cylinders and ports connecting each cylinder to each manifold; a

nected to the valves, pistons in the cylinders, a I

fuel regulator disposed in the central bore and communicating with the intake manifold; and

valves closing the rts: a

4. In an engine of the character described having a ve'rticall disposed cylinder head containinga plura ity of angularly disposed spring pressedv alves, means for openin the valves including a-cam shaft rotatable a ve the cylinder head, valve/lifters operable by the cam shaft, hinged arms engaging, the stems of the valves, and valve rods connecting the arms and valve lifters. Y

5. In" an engine of the character described having a verticall disposed cylinder head containing a lura ity of angularly disposed spring presse valves, means for openin the valves including a'cam shaft rotatable a ove the cylinder head, valve lifters operable by the cam shafti hinged arms engaging thestems ofrthe va ves, valve rods connectin the arms and valve lifters, and a universal ointfoirsned in each valve rod intermediate its en 1 y r 6. An engine of the character described incliiding a cylinder block having a central Q bore; a plurality of cylinders concentric therewith pistons in the cylinders a cylinder head I secured to the body of each cylinder forming the end wall of the combustion chamber and enclosing an intake manifold communicating with an intake pipe leading through the central bore of the cylinder block; an exhaust manifold disposed outside the series of cyl- WILLIALI WILLS. 

